Sinbound (18+) | ✓

44 | four o'clock

44 | four o'clock

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It was four o'clock in the morning when Matteo and I were jolted awake by a crash coming from outside. My head slides off of Matteo's chest as he sits up.

"What was that?" I question, throat sore and voice raspy from a cold I'm coming down with. Matteo gave me some honey and lime to try to soothe it, but I guess being woken up from a dead sleep by a home intruder hinders the process.

Without a word, Matteo stands and reaches into his night table only to emerge with a gun. Damn, we moving like that?

Deciding this isn't currently my fight, I just sit up on the bed, hyper-aware of my surroundings as Matteo goes to leave the dark room.

"Be careful, Matteo." I warn, trying not to swoon at the sight of him wielding a weapon — now is not the time, Monique.

He simply nods, his face stoic as I hear his footsteps travel down the stairs. There's a moment of silence when he stops and my heart begins to pound against my chest with anxiety rushing through me.

Then, suddenly, he's coming back upstairs — I can tell by his distinctive footsteps. When you live with someone for almost two weeks, you get used to their footsteps.

He says nothing as he goes straight for his drawer to replace the gun before he sits down beside me.

It's only then that I notice the crumpled sheet of paper in his grasp.

"What was it?" I ask, too nervous to breathe properly. Reaching over, he grabs the bottle of water on his side of the bed and hands it to me.

"You gotta stay hydrated, bebita." He tells me. There he goes, always taking care of me even when someone trespasses and leaves a sheet of paper on our yard.

I tilt my head at him, "Matteo, what was that?"

Peeking over, I see the words on the paper.

I know where you live.

"What the fuck..." I whisper, taken aback by what the fuck I just read. Is someone threatening us? "Matteo..."

He'd been quiet this entire time, before I push the sheets off of my legs, a rush of heat shooting up my back. I feel like dunking myself in a cold bath, but not when Matteo is this quiet.

Suddenly, he crushes the paper in his grasp and throws it across the room.

"Fucking hell!" He yells, anger no doubt rushing though his veins. "Fucking Santiago is up to no fucking good."

"Teo..."

"It's not enough he goes after me legally, no he just has to pull this shit."

"What shit?" I try to pry out of him, "How does he know where we live? What the hell does that note mean? Is he stalking us now?" The questions leave me faster than I can even think.

"No." Matteo shakes his head as he begins to pace, "He wouldn't be stupid enough to do it himself. That not only incriminates him, but puts the lawsuit to hell."

"Then we take it to the police."

"They have no way of knowing it was him. They'd just take the lawsuit and say I'm being paranoid."

"What — so is he going to try to threaten you to do what he wants?" I ask, desperately. I don't even know what's really happening. "We're just gonna keep getting notes until you give him half of your business?"

"No." He deadpans making me look up at him, "We're not — I promise you."

I blink, a headache starting to come on, "You can't make that promise, Matteo." He looks towards me, eyes doe as he scans my tired body. I adjust the bonnet on top of my head, "I love you and I don't want to see anything bad happen to you because of a jealous man who'll stop at nothing to see you fail."

I sigh and continue when he says nothing, "I know you're hell-bent on not giving anything up and I understand that and fully support you in whatever you want to do, but maybe, it'd be safer if you heard him out."

He scoffs, "I'm not gonna let him win, Monique."

"And I'm not gonna sit around and watch us get harassed because he wants to win." I drop my head into my hands and try to rub out the tension. Noticing this, Matteo sits beside me and pulls me into him so he can take over on massaging my temples, "I just want us to be safe."

"I know." He mumbles and kisses my bonnet, "I know and I'm sorry I'm being so stubborn but I just can't..."

"I know." I nod, and pull back so I can meet those eyes that I love oh so much, "And I'm proud of you for standing your ground, but I don't want to live with the fear that next time, it won't be just a note."

do y'all think teo and mo are being reasonable enough with their... reasoning? lmfoaoaoa i didn't wanna say reason again but i done said it three times so tuff 🤗

someone tell me to put my phone down and finish my spanish project please 🤗

also, wattpad is wildin with these notifications 😭